Surgical treatment of absent pulmonary valve syndrome.

The absent pulmonary valve syndrome includes agenesis of the pulmonary valve, annular stenosis, and pulmonary insufficiency. The pulmonary arteries are aneurysmal and usually compress the tracheobronchial tree. These features are associated with a ventricular septal defect and right ventricular hypertrophy. Nineteen children aged 5 days to 11 years were treated between 1976 and 1983. Nine were younger than 1 year. Intractable respiratory symptoms and heart failure were the main features in the infant group; five required preoperative assisted ventilation. Older children had decreased exercise tolerance and repeated respiratory infections. Several surgical techniques were used in this series. The best results were achieved when the size of the main, right, and left pulmonary arteries was reduced by extensive anterior resection; the ventricular septal defect was closed; and an aortic homograft was interposed between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. Four infants and four children treated in this way survived the operation. Five of the nine operated infants died (56%); all older children survived the operation. At follow-up, six children were asymptomatic and one was in New York Heart Association Class II. All four infants were progressing satisfactorily although all had some residual pulmonary symptoms. Closure of the ventricular septal defect, reduction of the size of the pulmonary arteries, and insertion of an aortic homograft was the optimal treatment in our series.